Steer Clear of UPC/NTL. Terrible Terrible Service!!

dubdude2008 · 21-08-2008 4:14pm #1

Hey Guys,

Just a word of advice. Steer clear of this company. They are the worst company for customer services ive ever come across. Firstly, I am getting phone calls up to 3 times a day from NTL asking do I want a phone line. 3 times a day and almost everyday, saturdays and sundays. I have asked around 10 times to be taken off the list but they keep calling.

Secondly, I got upgraded to the 20mb line. It doesnt work properly, and NTL wont sort it out. The router broke 2 days after they gave it to me, but NTL dont support the routers so i have to buy a new one myself. The routers apparently arent something NTL will guarantee.

Then when i took out NTL i set up a dd mandate. They never set it up, I rang them and gave my details again, they didnt set it up again, on the third phonecall, my bill was now 2 weeks late and they told me the only way i can pay is post office as ddmandates cannot be set up if there are arrears. The arrears are all their fault but nothing was done to accomadate me. I rang to make a complaint, and got cut off, rang back, got cut off again before i spoke to anyone and rang for a third time. The guy on the end of the time refused to put me through to a manager to voice my complaint, told me all the managers were out of the building???? yeah weird.

So i decided to email. After 8 days I get a reponse. No apology in the slightest, in fact the response said that firstly, my name was taken off their marketing database so i wont get calls anymore, but it takes 30 days, so i will still be getting my 2 - 3 calls a day for another month. They didnt care that I gave my dd details 3 times , they said that my service will be suspended if i didnt pay. (it was paid with a mates cc in the end).

THey simply just didnt care, not one bit about everything. If you can get sky, get it, NTL/UPC are woeful.

dunworth1 · 21-08-2008 7:57pm

i am a UPC customer and am very happy with them!

have there tv service about twenty years ever since i moved into my hose and have only had two or three problems with them

but that was due to someone trying to tapping into there service

pa990 · 21-08-2008 8:49pm

best thing to do, is to put everything in writing.. And send it using registered post.. It'll cost u a bit more, but will save you time in the long run

old boy · 21-08-2008 11:23pm

i have them since last sept, no breakdowns package in two rooms for small money the wife and anklebiters are happy, then so am i, bar for the newa i rarley watch telly, as for the grief i got from sky well i just will not go there

Aquos76 · 21-08-2008 11:30pm

Also a sasitified customer here too, TV, Digital, BB, and phone service. Have been a customer for over 10 now.

Rosser · 22-08-2008 10:32pm

Had a few issues over the year but they're improving for sure and their broad band is unbeatable!

Solair · 22-08-2008 11:47pm

If they sold you the router, they have to support it / replace it.

I've never found UPC (or their predecessors) slow to swap out faulty equipment.

Ring 1908 outside peak times if you can, it tends to get crazy around lunch time and close to the end of the working day.

Try them at about 10am or so and you usually get straight through, or at most hold for a min or two.

WithCheesePlease · 26-08-2008 10:53pm

2 sides to this - when the service works I have no complaints. And to be fair this is most of the time.

But when it doesn't - worst customer service ever in how long you have to wait. Very frustrating. And I couldn't believe it when I recently called to cut off my Setanta Sports and Sky Sports and was charged 20 euro!! A downgrade charge - 10 euro per service. Couldn't believe it. Unbelievably cheeky.

Also got repeated phone calls about their new landline service. Weren't so quick to inform me about that downgrade charge!!

The_Diva · 14-09-2008 2:43pm

As I use to work for the company in question, i can only side with those who have nothing but problems with their service. They just dont care about existing customers, just to get the sale. Have you all not noticed that on every call they are trying to upsell you??? The staff on the phone(s) have no clue as the turnover of staff is at an all time high. The management in the company just keep putting on the pressure on the staff and as a result the "Great Customer Service" that they harp on about is thrown out the window!!! If you need something sorted out on your service, it would be wise to say that you want o get a new service as then a technician would call out to you, when he arrives just say that you have changed your mind, but whilst you are here could you have a look at....
In all honesty they have no clue as to what end of a pen they use to write with, and then we wonder why the service is sooooo crap!!! Bring back the days when UPC use to be both NTL and Chorus and worked seperately. I mean the suppose upgrade for the better has nothing but problems.
Also, some of the technicians are a joke, they come through from some work experience program and then given the all clear to go and put up an aerial, connect tv, broadband and telephone.
To get somewhere with this sh**e company you need to have a very no nonsense approach and be firm, and tough dont let them say all the crap about "its companys policy", "its in your contract" as this is aload of rubbish. They can make the alteration and do it, and do it straight away. So in all honnesty, Chorus/NTL a UPC company is offering a terrible service and get away with it as they are not monitored as closely as it should be. Make a complaint, kick up a fuss and let it be known on the radio and then we can listening to the crap that they will spin out about "in the future......., we are working on it...." If any other industry or service providers offered the same treatment to the public as the UPC does, there would be hell to pay.

Guy:Incognito · 15-09-2008 12:30am

The_Diva wrote: »

Have you all not noticed that on every call they are trying to upsell you??? .

Well I never, a company trying to make more money?The Dastardly Bastards, I will be sending a strongly worded letter to my TD forthwith.

Im a customer for 10 years or so with no problems. I have Digital TV, roadband and now phone.

deanh · 15-09-2008 3:52pm

The_Diva wrote: »

As I use to work for the company in question, i can only side with those who have nothing but problems with their service. .

What makes me think that they terminated your employment. You can't just blame management for the problem. it is the staff who deliver the service.

paulm17781 · 15-09-2008 4:06pm

deanh wrote: »

What makes me think that they terminated your employment. You can't just blame management for the problem. it is the staff who deliver the service.

It's managements job to manage the staff. If there is a problem, management should be on top of it and sort it out. There should also be someone to escalate calls to. This doesn't mean the staff are blameless but they're certainly not getting corrected.

The staff in UPC get a rough time and that's because they're on the front line. Every problem with the staff is the fault of management. The fact the management is so bad implies that management up the chain are just as bad.

I am a manager and while staff make mistakes, it is my fault if the department is running badly, not theirs.

bk · 16-09-2008 1:54pm

UPC will definitely need to improve their customer service now.They lost 24,000 customers in the last quarter and this is likely to increase with Freesat and increased competition from Sky.

NewDubliner · 16-09-2008 7:33pm

My TV on RTE & any non-BBC channel - working.

My TV (on BBC): "You have not subscribed for this service, please dial 1850-321-321"

Dialled 1850-321-321 - recorded message: "Please dial 1908"

Dialled 1908 - "Please enter your account number so we can help you"

Entered account number, then went through menus, waited 10 minutes for a person: "Hello what's your account number please? ("It does not come up on my screen", says he.)"

Explained problem, waited for a few minutes while he did some stuff, channels came back after a while. Says operative :"I just turned up the gain".

hmm....

Could try harder.

dunworth1 · 16-09-2008 10:02pm

NewDubliner wrote: »

My TV on RTE & any non-BBC channel - working.

My TV (on BBC): "You have not subscribed for this service, please dial 1850-321-321"

Dialled 1850-321-321 - recorded message: "Please dial 1908"

Dialled 1908 - "Please enter your account number so we can help you"

Entered account number, then went through menus, waited 10 minutes for a person: "Hello what's your account number please? ("It does not come up on my screen", says he.)"

Explained problem, waited for a few minutes while he did some stuff, channels came back after a while. Says operative :"I just turned up the gain".

hmm....

Could try harder.

he fixed it didnt he is that not enough for you or would you like him to come out to your house and spend a hour or so explaining every single thing he didd to fix it.

NewDubliner · 20-09-2008 6:32pm

dunworth1 wrote: »

he fixed it didnt he is that not enough for you or would you like him to come out to your house and spend a hour or so explaining every single thing he didd to fix it.

It shouldn't break in the first place. I'm paying enough for a mediocre selection of advertising-riddled channels, the least they could do is properly monitor their systems. The main complaint I have is that I think it's pretty sloppy of them to waste my time by having me phone the wrong number and then ask me twice for the account number.

Kensington · 20-09-2008 9:57pm

NewDubliner wrote: »

and then ask me twice for the account number.

They only do this so that when you do get through to an operator, you'll have your account number to hand already. Granted, you would think it would automatically pull up your details on file from when you typed it in, but it does save the operator having to wait five odd minutes while the customer has to go off to find their account number upon getting through...

bricks · 21-09-2008 3:22pm

I canceled in July when I switched over to Eircom/Sky combination.
When I first rung up to cancel they said the cancelations department was busy.
Eventually got them and they gave be a PO box number.
So I wrote to them and heard nothing back so I emailed them heard nothing, then I rang them, eventually I got a bill indicating services canceled.
No mention of return of equipment, So I rang them to ask do they want it back and who was to collect it. They told me not to bother, I could keep the stuff. A DVR modem and router. I asked was she sure, YES.
2 months later, 150Euros bill for non-return of equipment.
So I rang them, they wanted the DVR back. I said no problem its no good to me. So a guy came along and collected it.
Got a call a week later, I should pay the 150Euros or I'll be visited by debt collectors.
I told the woman on the phone, I've returned it the guy came last week. She then asked if maybe I'd like to pay of part of the 150Euro... ffs
Latest is that they acknowledge via email that I don't owe them anything.
But ringing 1908 I still have -150Euro balance.
They also canceled my direct debit 2 times and sent the initial install engineer to the wrong address twice. I had to listen to 'Rick Hatten' fight adverts several times when I rung them. I listed this as a reason for cancelation.
My Da gets them phone calls regularily to sign up for a phone also.

On the plus side, my sky+ service never has any missing channels.
I now pay way more per month for BB from Eircom just so I don't have to put up with NTL and UselessPieceofCrap.

John Mason · 25-09-2008 3:35pm

my digital thing has never worked properly, its is always sticking and freezing.

anyway, i want to know why their techs only cater for people who work from home?

i just had a tech telling me i was final call (at 2.30pm). i explained to him that the girl had said that she would make sure some didnt up come until 5pm

i am now stuck with no telly and years a contract and no possiblity to get someone out to fix it

:(

paulm17781 · 25-09-2008 3:47pm

irishbird wrote: »

i am now stuck with no telly and years a contract and no possiblity to get someone out to fix it :(

Don't take that! Get them to send someone out on a Saturday. They will.

Insist you are not paying as they are not providing service. Don't ask, don't be rude. Just tell them this is the case and if they have a problem, you will bring them to the small claims court.

Rosser · 25-09-2008 8:11pm

NewDubliner wrote: »

a mediocre selection of advertising-riddled channels.

You'll be wanting the BBC 1 & 2 pack....not sure if UPC do that particular option, maybe you should ring them to complain?

dunworth1 · 25-09-2008 10:49pm

NewDubliner wrote: »

It shouldn't break in the first place. I'm paying enough for a mediocre selection of advertising-riddled channels, the least they could do is properly monitor their systems. The main complaint I have is that I think it's pretty sloppy of them to waste my time by having me phone the wrong number and then ask me twice for the account number.

nothing last for ever lots of thing break these days.

every channel has advertising the BBC don't have ads during the movies.
sky movies dont have ads during the movies either but have 20mins of them before the next one starts.

Maximilian · 26-09-2008 5:16pm

I hate NTL. I've had lots of problems with their service over the years. I don't know how many times over the years, I have had to plug out the receiver and then fumble to plug it back in again because the picture died or froze, how many times the service has been down completely, how much of my life has been spent on hold, DVR only brought in recently, ages after SKY introduced it, Still no HD. Broadband is good, although for a about a month earlier in the year it was borked for some reason until they eventually fixed the line. I would jump to SKY in a flash if I could. Years ago, when we had SKY at home, there was never any problems that I can recall.

Also, I do wish they would get it through their ****ing skulls that I don't want a phone line. I don't want to be called on my mobile (used to get a call every bloody week until I sent them a letter in my capacity as a solicitor - one of the perks of the job!) or receive junk mail every other week offering my the same.

To me it's a clear demonstration as to why a lack of competition is a bad thing for the consumer. If there was a proper alternative, this company would be dead and buried a long time ago or would now offer a fantastic service.

8gbMadness · 26-09-2008 11:59pm

I'm getting tired of their broadband problems, outages, bad ping, packet loss- sick to death tbh, might be cancelling soon waster of €46 p/m

limerick-kev24 · 29-09-2008 2:36pm

God some of you people are unbelieveable!!!!!! You sit there and insult people who work at ntl/chorus. They go to work, are given instructions on what to sell and when to do it.Why do they ask you do u want a phone line when u call, maybe its to maxamise their sales, Believe it or not thats the way some companys work!!!! its their job <<SNIP>>!!!

Right i side with all of you who have had a bad experience, i know how long it takes to get through and how bad their customer service is. for anyone that is thinking of cancelling i advise you to ring their call centre, ask for retentions and hold, now you will be holding for a while but when you get through you will speak to an agent who will put a disconnection on the account. DO NOT send a letter as it goes on top of the 2000 plus a week and will take 6 to 8 weeks to be looked at!!!

watty · 29-09-2008 4:55pm

It took me 45mins to cancel Sky, then 1 month notice payments. It takes 5mins to reactivate.

No-one makes it easy to cancel.

Ring and write.

Be patient.

Maximilian · 29-09-2008 5:04pm

limerick-kev24 wrote: »

God some of you people are unbelieveable!!!!!! You sit there and insult people who work at ntl/chorus. They go to work, are given instructions on what to sell and when to do it.Why do they ask you do u want a phone line when u call, maybe its to maxamise their sales, Believe it or not thats the way some companys work!!!! its their job u morons!!!

Who gives a flying **** if it's somebody's job? I never consented to being called every week for them to try and sell me a phone line I didn't want. I never asked them to mail every month about their phone lines.

We shouldn't get annoyed about it because it "somebody's job"? And we're morons! If you meant to refer just to when people call NTL rather than the other way around then fair enough & my apologies.

watty · 29-09-2008 6:08pm

They are obliged to stop calling /emailing/writing you if you ask them to stop.

(Thanks Byte)

Maximilian · 29-09-2008 6:25pm

Yeah but I remember with the phone calls, I asked them to take me off that list on maybe 5 occasions. Took a letter to sort out finally.

bricks · 03-10-2008 8:21pm

limerick-kev24 wrote: »

DO NOT send a letter as it goes on top of the 2000 plus a week and will take 6 to 8 weeks to be looked at!!!

I was told I could not cancel my service over the phone and that I would hav e to send it via mail to a PO box number in Limerick.

limerick-kev24 · 03-10-2008 10:16pm

bricks wrote: »

I was told I could not cancel my service over the phone and that I would hav e to send it via mail to a PO box number in Limerick.

U can cancel over the phone but if u get a tough retention agent they will insist on u sending a letter, but they def do cancel accounts over the phone.

Steer Clear of UPC/NTL. Terrible Terrible Service!!

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